scripture

noun

scrip·​ture ˈskrip(t)-shər How to pronounce scripture (audio)
1
a(1)
capitalized : the books of the Bible
often used in plural
(2)
often capitalized : a passage from the Bible
b
: a body of writings considered sacred or authoritative
2
: something written
the primitive man's awe for any scriptureGeorge Santayana

Examples of scripture in a Sentence

someone who frequently quotes Scripture
Recent Examples on the Web And during, a close friend read scripture from the bride’s late grandmother's Bible. Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 27 Sep. 2023 Some rabbis over the centuries didn’t like it because it wasn’t called for in scripture. Michelle Boorstein, Washington Post, 18 Sep. 2023 In the scripture, God placed a rainbow in the sky as a symbol of hope for Noah and his family. Sydney Borchers, Fox News, 14 Sep. 2023 Not unlike what Lee said about Donald Trump, comparing the then-president to Captain Moroni, a hero in the faith’s signature scripture, the Book of Mormon. Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 6 Sep. 2023 The temple also offers bhajan classes, for children ages 4 to adult, every Sunday, Kuchipudi dance classes on Saturdays, and other classes in yoga, Hindu scripture memorization and more. Joy Ashford, Dallas News, 23 Aug. 2023 The Quran is holy scripture to Muslims, and treating all physical copies of the book with respect is part of Islamic law. Jenny Goldsberry, Washington Examiner, 20 July 2023 In the resolution, a copy of which can be found on the commission website, the commission called upon both Bible scripture and Ben Franklin to bolster their position. Warren Kulo | Wkulo@al.com, al, 14 July 2023 Each raga has specific religious meanings in the Sikh scripture. Yannick Peterhans, USA TODAY, 8 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scripture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin scriptura, from Latin, act or product of writing, from scriptus

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of scripture was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near scripture

Cite this Entry

“Scripture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scripture. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

scripture

noun
scrip·​ture ˈskrip-chər How to pronounce scripture (audio)
1
a
capitalized : the books of the Old and New Testaments or of either of them : bible
often used in plural
b
often capitalized : a portion of writing from the Bible
2
: the sacred writings of a religion
Etymology

Middle English scripture, Scripture "the books of the Bible," from Latin scriptura (same meaning), from earlier scriptura "the act or product of writing," from scriptus, past participle of scribere "to write" — related to scribe

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